Utica: The Last Refuge

Imagine living in a refugee camp in Ethiopia for six years and finding out, at long last, that you will be resettled in a small city in upstate NY. You know no one there. Utica: The Last Refuge follows the Azeins, a refugee family of four from Sudan, over the course of 2.5 years as they transition from isolation to being part of a larger community. Unbeknownst to them, they have arrived in the US just as a new administration hostile to immigrants and refugees has taken over.

The ups and downs of the Azeins acclimation is softened by their landing spot: Utica, NY. The rustbelt city's long history of immigration and more recent humanitarian efforts to welcome refugees has created a perfect storm of kindness. The massive population losses due to the departure of corporate manufacturing beginning in the 80s, combined with a recognition that the new arrivals contribute mightily to the area, naturally lead local leaders to draw the conclusion that ramping up the resettlement program would be smart. Their calculation was simple. The long-term social, cultural, and economic benefits far outweigh the short term costs of resettling refugees in the city. In fact, without refugees and their children who now comprise over 20% of Utica's population, the city would lose its metropolitan status and access to significant funding that goes with it.

In parallel with following the Azeins' story, the film crew embeds itself at the resettlement agency charged with helping them succeed there. Nationally regarded as a model agency for refugee resettlement, the Mohawk Valley Resource Center for Refugees (MVRCR) suddenly finds itself struggling for survival amidst a slew of executive orders and greatly diminished incoming arrival numbers. Tasked with partnering with local business, politicians, and community members to help the town's refugees land rewarding jobs and build comfortable lives becomes more difficult as their sources of funding dry up. The agency's creativity will be tested.

Providing a contrast to common misconceptions about refugees and their impact on the areas where they resettle, Utica: The Last Refuge highlights the deep work done both by resettlement agencies, communities, and refugees alike, and shows how thoughtful civic humanitarianism can result in myriad benefits for communities and their existing residents. In short, everybody wins.

The full 10-page guide will be emailed following your order of the film.

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FILMMAKER'S STATEMENT: "Utica: The Last Refuge is a passion project. After DP Adam Bedient and I had produced several short films on refugee issues for the International Rescue Committee, we wanted to do something more substantial for this vulnerable population. What struck us immediately is that so few refugees worldwide are being resettled. Why is the system backed up if we know that resettlement programs work so well?

We hope you will find the story of Utica’s reinvention of itself as a haven for refugees inspiring, as we have. It’s a great reminder of how the United States was built and that great kindness regularly repays itself."